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Alec has been acting cagy since he came back from his evening out with Jace and Magnus has been mentally preparing for the moment he'll snap and spill.
“Magnus, can I ask you something?” Alec's tone is deceptively casual.
Magnus isn't fooled. “Of course.”
Alec bites his lip, frowns, blinks and finally spits it out. “Why do you love me?”
It's not what Magnus expected at all. He's a little thrown. Also a little unnerved at himself for still being suprised when Alec surprises him. He should be used to Alec's unpredictability by now.
Alec is watching him with an eery kind of focus and a very serious expression. It's endearing. Magnus smiles.
“Do you want a list?”
Alec's frown deepens and he looks alarmed. “There is a list?”
It's Magnus's turn to blink. Whatever has Alec on edge apparently doesn't have to do with doubts he might have about Magnus's affections, if his unsettled reaction is any indication.
“Not physically, but I could write one if you want. Why do you ask?”
Alec looks one second away from pacing, gaze darting around. “It's all Izzy's fault,” he blurts. “She said I need to talk to Jace about Clary because she can't take his mooning anymore, so I did. And he wouldn't stop talking about all the reasons he loved her. It was... a lot. And...”
Alec turns to him again, looking like a deer in the headlights, which is a little absurd considering he's six feet of solid muscle wrapped in leather. “I know that I love you. I do. But there's no concrete cause I can pinpoint. I couldn't give a list of one or five or twenty reasons. I look at you and I just feel it.”
He stares at Magnus, something like fear flickering in his eyes. “Am I doing it wrong?”
“Oh darling,” Magnus breathes and strides to him, cupping his face tenderly. “No, of course not.” He places a short, soothing kiss on Alec's lips. “There is no right or wrong way to love someone. There is only your way.”
Alec's brow is still creased and Magnus steals another kiss. “I happen to enjoy your way a lot.”
He smirks and Alec's eyes soften. “Yeah?”
Magnus hums and kisses him again before putting on a thoughtful face. “I could do with a little brush-up though.”
Alec smiles, tension leaving his shoulders. “Is that so?”
Magnus leans in. “Most definitely.”
After a short eternity Magnus draws back a little, still settled in Alec's warm embrace and watches Alec pensively. “I was wondering, just idly... what things did your parabatai say he loved biscuit for?”
Alec's lips quirk in fond exasperation. “The weirdest things. How she paints and how she ties her shoes.” The almost offended crunch in his brow makes Magnus laugh.
“It makes no sense to me. If she quit painting or decided to buy velcro, would he love her less? I don't get it.”
Magnus laughs again but Alec turns earnest eyes on him. “I mean it, Magnus. You could change everything, upend your whole life and I'd still love you the same.”
Magnus's heart flutters but he can't help teasing. “Even if I decided to move to the countryside and breed alpacas?”
Alec doesn't hesitate. “Yeah. If you really wanted this I'd find a way to make it work.”
He is dead serious and Magnus falls a little bit more in love.